It has long been known that the bioavailability of many hydrophobic drugs can be improved if the drugs are administered with food, i.e., the drugs uptake into the blood or other part of the body exhibit a food effect. A patient is often instructed to take the drug at meal times or with food. Various explanations of the food effect have been advanced including: delayed gastric emptying to allow more drug to dissolve before reaching the small intestine thereby producing longer residence times at specific absorption sites in the small intestine; direct interaction and solubilization of drug by food, especially by hydrophobic food components such as fats and lipids; food-related increases in hepatic blood flow to cause a decrease in first-pass metabolism; and increased gastrointestinal secretions that can improve drug solubility.
Dosage forms or quantities of compositions containing a fibrate such as fenofibrate have been marketed and prescribed for the treatment of dislipidemia and dislipoproteinemia. Dislipidemia and dislipoproteinemia are herein defined to include the group selected from hypercholesterolemia, abnormal and elevated levels of cholesterol, abnormal and elevated levels of LDL cholesterol, abnormal and elevated levels of total cholesterol, abnormal and elevated levels of plasma cholesterol, abnormal and elevated levels of triglycerides, hypertrigylceridaemia, abnormal levels of lipoproteins, abnormal and elevated levels of low density lipoproteins (LDLs), abnormal and elevated levels of very low density lipoproteins, abnormal and elevated levels of very low intermediate density lipoproteins, abnormal levels of high density lipoproteins, hyperlipidemia, hyperchylomicronemia, abnormal levels of chylomicrons, related disorders, and combinations thereof such as those described in The ILIB Lipid Handbook for Clinical Practice, Blood Lipids and Coronary Heart Disease, Second Edition, A. M. Gotto et al, International Lipid Information Bureau, New York, N.Y., 2000, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Elevation of serum cholesterol, triglyercides, or both is characteristic of hyperlipidemias. Differentiation of specific abnormalities usually requires identification of specific lipoprotein fractions in the serum of a patient. Lipoproteins transport serum lipids and can be identified by their density and electrophoretic mobility. Chylomicrons are among the largest and least dense of the lipoproteins. Others, in order of increasing density and decreasing size include very low density lipoproteins (VLDL or pre-beta), intermediate low density lipoproteins (ILDL or broad-beta), low density lipoproteins (LDL or beta), and high density lipoproteins (HDL or alpha). Triglycerides are transported primarily by chylomicrons and very low density lipoproteins. Cholesterol is transported primarily by low density lipoproteins. Hyperlipidemia types include type I, type IIa, type IIb, type III, type IV, and type V. These types can be characterized according to the levels relative to normal of lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides) and lipoproteins described above. Hyperlipidemia types are listed in Table 1 below, wherein “N” refers to normal levels of the substance in the left column, “+” refers to slightly elevated levels, “++” refers to elevated levels, “−” refers to slightly decreased levels, and “−−” refers to decreased levels, all relative to normal. The data in the table are derived from Drug Facts and Comparisons, 52nd Edition (1998) page 1066. Treatment of the a patient presenting one of more of the symptoms listed in Table 1 by the method of treatment and composition of the dosage forms of this invention will lead to a lowering in elevated levels of lipids and lipoproteins in the patient.
TABLE 1Hyperlipidemia types as a function ofrelative Lipid and Lipoprotein levels.Hyperlipidemia typeIII aII bIIIIVVLipidsCholesterolN+++++N++N+N++Triglycerides++N++N++++++LipoproteinsChylomicrons++NNNN++VLDL (pre-beta)N+N−++N+++++ILDL (broad-beta)++LDL (beta)−−++++++N−−−HDL (alpha)−−NNNN−−−
Fibrates used as lipid regulating agents in the treatment of lipid disorders include TRICOR®(fenofibrate), BEZALIP®(bezafibrate), ATROMID-S®(clofibrate), LOPID®(gemfibrozil), and ciprofibrate. In this invention preferred fibrates are water-insoluble or poorly water soluble compounds, and preferably solids, either amorphous or crystalline.
Fibrates can act as prodrugs and be metabolized in vivo to provide species that are active species in the treatment of hyperlipidemia. The major metabolite of fenofibrate found in plasma is fenofibric acid, a fibrate active species which has an elimination half-life of approximately twenty hours. Fenofibric acid lowers plasma triglycerides by potentially inhibiting triglyceride synthesis leading to a reduciton of VLDL released into the circulation. Fenofibric acid also stimulates the catabolism of triglyceride-rich lipoprotein (VLDL).
Fenofibrate also reduces serum uric acid levels in hyperuricemic and normal individuals by increasing the urinary excretion of uric acid.
Fenofibrate or 2-[4-(4-chlorobenzoyl)phenoxy]-2-methyl-propanoic acid 1-methylethyl ester is an example of a poorly water soluble compound. It is a benzophenone containing a para-chlorophenyl group and a para-isopropyloxycarbonylisopropoxyphenyl group, both of which are substantially hydrophobic groups. Fenofibrate exhibits a melting point reported to be in the range of 79 to 82° C. (Physician's Desk Reference, 1999 Edition, page 477), which is above that of the symmetrically unsubstituted benzophenone with a reported melting point range of 48 to 51° C. but below that of the symmetrically substituted 4,4′-dichlorobenzophenone with a reported range of 144 to 146° C. (Aldrich Chemical Co. catalog, 1999).
Fenofibrate acts as a potent lipid modulator agent offering unique and significant clinical advantages over existing products in the fibrate class of drugs. Fenofibrate produces substantial reductions in plasma triglyceride levels in hypertriglyceridemic patients and in plasma cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic and mixed dyslipidemic patients.
Fenofibrate is a prodrug that is absorbed and then hydrolyzed by tissue and plasma esterases to fenofibric acid, its active metabolite. Fenofibric acid, responsible for the pharmacological activity, has a plasma half-life of about 20 hours. Fenofibrate is a poorly water soluble drug and is practically insoluble in water. It is normally poorly and variably absorbed, and has to be taken with food.
The major metabolite of fenofibrate found in plasma is fenofibric acid which has an elimination half-life of approximately twenty hours. Measurement of the detected amount of fenofibric acid in the blood of a patient can reflect the efficacy of fenofibrate up. Fenofibric acid lowers plasma triglycerides by potentially inhibiting triglyceride synthesis leading to a reduciton of VLDL released into the circulation. Fenofibric acid also stimulates the catabolism of triglyceride-rich lipoprotein (VLDL).
Fenofibrate also reduces serum uric acid levels in hyperuricemic and normal individuals by increasing the urinary excretion of uric acid.
There have been a number of improvements in dosage forms of fenofibrate in an effort to increase bioavailability of the drug and hence its efficacy. However, there is still a need for a dosage formulation that can substantially reduce or overcome the differential between the bioavailability of the drug in patients who are fasted versus the bioavailability of the drug in patients who are fed.
Fenofibrate was first available in a pharmaceutical dosage form (LIPIDIL®) consisting of a hard gelatin capsule containing fenofibrate, lactose, pregelatinized starch and magnesium stearate. After oral administration, during a meal, about 60% of the dose of this conventional form is effectively absorbed and found in the blood as fenofibric acid (Weil et al., The metabolism and disposition of 14C-fenofibrate in human volunteers, Drug. Metabol. Dispos. Biol. Fate. Chem., 18 (1990) 115-120).
Historically, in order to improve the intestinal absorption, another pharmaceutical dosage form was introduced (LIPIDIL MICRO®). European Patent Application 330,532 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,726 disclose a fenofibrate composition in which fenofibrate powder is comicronized with a solid wetting agent. Sodium lauryl sulfate is described as the wetting agent of choice. The co-micronized powder so obtained is mixed with capsule filling excipients such as lactose, starch, cross-linked polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP), and magnesium stearate. A study comparing this formulation (LIPIDIL MICRO®) to the conventional form (LIPIDIL®) had showed statistically significant increase in bioavailability with the former. A formulation of fenofibrate that refers to this patent is currently available in the United States under the name TRICOR MICRONIZED®(fenofibrate).
European Patent Application 724,877 describes fenofibrate powder co-micronized with a wetting agent in association with a vitamin E component (tocopherol and/or its organic acid ester) for treating or preventing disorders associated with lipoprotein oxidation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,079 describes a medicinal composition in the form of granules with controlled release of fenofibrate. Each granule includes an inert core, a layer based on fenofibrate and a protective layer. Fenofibrate is present in the form of crystalline microparticles of dimensions not greater than 30 μm.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,890 describes a process for preparing a controlled release formulation containing fenofibrate in an intermediate layer in the form of crystalline microparticles (less than 30 μm in diameter) within a multilayer layer inert matrix.
European Patent Application 757,911 describes a fenofibrate pharmaceutical dosage form in which fenofibrate is in solution in diethylene glycol monoethyl ether (EMDG) which is a non-ionic surfactant.
European Patent Application 904,781 describes a process for making granules of a solid dispersion of a disintegrant in molten fenofibrate by blending a solid dispersing agent into molten fenofibrate, cooling and solidifying the bulk mixture in a tray, and then milling the solid through a screen to produce granules. Disintegrants include polymers such as starch, croscarmellose sodium, sodium starch glycolate, and crospovidone. Such disintegrants are slow to swell and dissolve in aqueous media. Furthermore, when crosslinked as in the case of crospovidone, a polymeric disintegrant will not be uniformly dissolved in molten drug but rather at best will form micro-domains in molten fenofibrate. In addition, polymeric materials can exhibit phase separation phenomena when distributed in a substance with which there is not complete compatibility. This was shown, in part, by Sheu, M. T. et al., “Characterization and dissolution of fenofibrate solid dispersion systems”, Int. J. Pharm. (1994), 103(2), 137-46 using differential scanning calorimetry measurements that found fenofibrate to be incompatible with poly(vinyl pyrrolidone). Thus, preparation of a bulk mixture in the melt followed by solidification and grinding can lead to non-uniform distributions and compositions in granules. This can adversely effect the bioavailability of the active component.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,700,471 discloses a process for the micronization of compounds having low solubility in water by exposing such compounds briefly to a temperature above their respective melting points, dispersing them with turbulence in an aqueous or organic phase, and subsequently cooling the phase to form a fine particle dispersion. However, it is specified (column 2, lines 1-9) that certain substances and specifically fenofibrate are not amenable to processing entirely without organic solvents because their aqueous dispersions agglomerate and cannot be metered. Thus, in example 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,700,471, fenofibrate is not directly dispersed in water but rather is first dissolved in a four-fold excess of a water-miscible organic solvent (isopropanol) which must be removed in a subsequent step. Organic solvents can pose flammability risks, exposure dangers to process operators, potential environmental problems, and added expense related to their storage, ultimate removal from a formulation, and disposal. Thus it is desirable to overcome the use of organic solvents where possible.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,634 describes a method of production of an excipient system containing a pharmacologically active substance for peroral administration comprised of lipid nano-pellets in an aqueous, colloidal suspension. The method comprises forming a melt of a mixture of at least one surfactant, a pharmacologically active substance, and at least one lipid, dispersing the molten mixture within an aqueous solution at a temperature above the melting point of the lipid to form lipid nano-pellets, and cooling the suspension below the melting point of the lipid. In the process, a pharmacologically effective substance is dissolved in the lipid or mixture of lipids during the preparation of the lipid nano-pellets. Animal and plant phospholipids such as lecithin and their hydrogenated forms may be employed in the process although the use of chloroform is taught in examples citing phospholipon 100H. The pharmacologically effective substance can be added to the melted lipid in molten form or dissolved or dispersed in the molten lipid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,726 discloses a gelatin capsule dosage form of fenofibrate containing a co-micronized mixture of particles of fenofibrate and a solid surfactant. The dosage form exhibits improved dissolution rate and bioavailability of fenofibrate over that of micronized fenofibrate alone or that of micronized fenofibrate subsequently mixed with solid surfactant. However, the surfactant must be a solid so it can be micronized, and the micronized surfactant in the form of particles is not uniformly juxtaposed or coated on the surface of the fenofibrate particles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,628 discloses a melted and cooled pharmaceutical composition in hard gelatin capsule for treating hyperlipidemia and/or hypercholesterolemia. The composition contains fenofibrate, one or more polyglycolyzed glycerides, and optionally other polyalkylene glycol polymers that are added to adjust HLB value, melting point, and stabiliity. The composition provides an increased bioavailability of fenofibrate with respect to previously marketed forms of fenofibrate (i.e., non co-micronized LYPANTHYL® 200 , and co-micronized LYPANTHYL® 200 M.). Commercially available formulations of fenofibrate such as TRICOR MICRONIZED® exhibit a food effect, for example, the amount of fenofibrate taken up and metabolized to the active fibrate species, fenofibric acid, depends on the amount and kind of food taken proximal (within about +/−one or two hours before or after) the time of taking the fenofibrate oral dosage form (e.g., capsule or tablet).
Ben-Armor solubilized fenofibrate in nonaqueous dimethyl isosorbide with a miscible wetting agent to improve its bioavailability. Colloidal silicon oxide was added to increase the viscosity, and the liquid so obtained was placed in hard gelatin capsules and sealed. In vivo studies with this formulation indicated no statistically significant difference in bioavailability between the liquid formulation and a conventional form when the product was given with food.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,645,856 and 6,096,338 disclose a composition and method of improving the in vivo bioavailability of a hydrophobic drug from a pharmaceutical composition comprising the drug dispersed or dissolved in a digestible oil containing a hydrophilic surfactant which substantially inhibits the in vivo lipolysis of the digestible oil, wherein there is added to the composition a lipophilic surfactant capable of reducing the inhibitory effect of the hydrophilic surfactant. They also disclose a carrier system for a hydrophobic drug which comprises a digestible oil and a pharmaceutically acceptable surfactant for dispersing the oil in vivo upon administration of the carrier system, the surfactant comprising a hydrophilic surfactant component which substantially inhibits the in vivo lipolysis of the digestible oil, and a lipophilic surfactant component capable of reducing the inhibitory effect of the hydrophilic surfactant component.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,776,495 and 6,027,747 disclose a solid dispersion with enhanced bioavailability of a surface active agent and at least one therapeutic agent in a hydrophilic carrier having enhanced solubility in an aqueous medium. The dispersion is prepared by dissolving the therapeutic agent in a volatile organic solvent containing a very hydrophilic polymer and without strong heat or vacuum evaporating the solvent to dryness to form a co-precipitate of therapeutic agent and hydrophilic polymer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,827,536 discloses soluble fenofibrate pharmaceutical dosage formulations exhibiting improved bioavailability after oral administration. However, the formulations contain fenofibrate as a solution in a solubilizing agent consisting of diethylene glycol monoethyl ether.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,042,847 discloses a three-phase pharmaceutical form exhibiting constant and controlled release of an amorphous active ingredient stabilized with polymers for a single daily peroral application. The first phase consists of a core containing an amorphous active ingredient, polyvinylpyrrolidone and a cellulose ether as carriers and as inhibitors of its crystallization, and a surfactant that improves the solubility of the active ingredient and promotes the absorption of the amorphous active ingredient from gastrointestinal tract. The second phase contains a cellulose ether and a mixture of mono-, di- and triglycerides as sustained release agents. The third phase is a poorly soluble or gastro-resistant polymeric film coating.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,068,854 discloses a constant release tablet consisting of a matrix of gelatin in which is dispersed as an emulsion, dispersion or colloid a lipophilic and/or poorly water soluble pharmaceutical substance with a particle size below 200 micrometers.
WO 2000037057 discloses a solution formulation comprising a lipid-regulating agent dissolved in at least one propylene glycol fatty acid ester as the primary solvent medium for the agent, optionally together with one or more emulsifiers including phospholipids.
WO 2000016749 discloses a formulation comprising a solution of a lipid-regulating agent dissolved in at least one propylene glycol fatty acid ester as the primary solvent medium for the agent. One or more emulsifiers may be added to the formulation.
WO 98/31361 discloses a pharmaceutical composition of fenofibrate with high biological availability and method for preparing same. The invention concerns a fenofibrate composition with instant release comprising and inert water-soluble support coated with at least a film containing an active fenofibrate principle in micronized form with a size less than 20 micrometers, a hydrophilic polymer and optionally a surfactant, and optionally one or several external phases or films.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,880,148 discloses a combination of fenofibrate and a vitamin E substance where the fenofibrate is a micronized with a solid surfactant.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,074,670 discloses an immediate-release fenofibrate composition comprising an inert hydrosoluble carrier covered with a layer containing fenofibrate in a micronized form having a size less than 20 micrometers, a hydrophilic polymer and, optionally, a surfactant. In an example cited, a suspension of micronized fenofibrate and sodium lauryl sulfate is suspended in a solution of sodium lauryl sulfate and polyvinylpyrrolidone, sprayed onto 100 to 400 micrometers size lactose particles suspended in a fluidized air bed granulator, and the granulate is placed in capsules or transformed into tablets by mixing with cross-linked PVP, microcrystalline cellulose, colloidal silica, and sodium stearyl fumarate. The composition showed enhanced bioavailability of fenofibrate. However, increased dissolution rates of a formulation of fenofibrate do not translate directly or linearly to increase uptake of the drug, and show that an in vitro experimental result can not necessarily predict the results of an in vivo experiment.
It is generally accepted that water insoluble or poorly water soluble drugs can be made more bioavailable when presented in the form of small particles. In many cases, it is known that small particles must be stabilized against particle size growth and agglomeration by the addition of one or more surface active agents at some point in the preparation of the particles, especially in a size reduction process that employs the input of mechanical energy such as homogenization, microfluidization, milling, such as media milling, precipitation such as from a liquified gas, ball milling and the like. Because they are biocompatible and well tolerated in vivo, preferred surface active agents or particle stabilizers are phospholipids, and preferred small particles of fenofibrate are stabilized by phospholipid particle stabilizers that are also referred to herein as phospholipid surface active substances or species. A phospholipid surface active substance can be a single phospholipid compound or a mixture of phospholipid compounds, a natural phospholipid isolated for example from plants such as soy or animal sourses such as hen egg, or a synthetic phospholipid. Phospholipids that are isolated from plants or animals can be purified into different grades of phospholipids including grades sold for us in food and grades sold for use in pharmaceuticals. For example, LIPOID® E 80 may contain phosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl ethanolamine, lysophosphatidyl choline, lysophosphatidyl ethanolamine, sphingomyelin, and trace quantities of triglycerides, cholesterol, free fatty acids, d,l-alpha-tocopherol, and water.
Microparticles of water insoluble or poorly soluble substances are small particles having diameters of from nanometers to micrometers and refer to solid particles of irregular, non-spherical or spherical shapes. When the insoluble and poorly soluble substances are therapeutically and diagnostically useful substances, formulations containing them as microparticles or small particles provide some specific advantages over unformulated non-micronized drug particles. These advantages include improved oral bioavailability of drugs that are poorly absorbed from the GI tract, development of injectable formulations that are currently available only in oral dosage form, less toxic injectable formulations that are currently prepared with organic solvents, sustained release of intramuscular injectable drugs that are currently administered through daily injection or constant infusion, preparation of inhaled, ophthalmic formulation of drugs that otherwise could not be formulated for nasal or ocular use, as well as other advantages.
Current technology for delivering insoluble drugs as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,091,188; 5,091,187 and 4,725,442 focuses on (a) either coating small drug particles with surface active substances that are natural or synthetic phospholipids or (b) dissolving the drug in a suitable lipophilic carrier and forming an emulsion stabilized with surface active substances that are natural or semisynthetic phospholipids.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,684 discloses methods for preparation and dispersions of particles consisting of crystalline drug substance having a surface modifier or surface active substance adsorbed to maintain an effective average particle size of less than about 400 nm. However, the method requires a milling step that can result in impurities being added to the formulation from fractured milling media.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,470,583 and 5,336,507 disclose methods for preparation of nanoparticles using a charged phospholipid as a cloud point modifier.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,302,401 discloses compositions and methods for forming nanoparticles with a surface modifier and a cryoprotectant adsorbed thereon.
International Patent Application WO 99/39700 describes the preparation of submicron nanoparticles from a pharmacologically active principle and a composite material consisting of at least one lipidic substance and at least one amphiphilic substance using high pressure homogenization to form a microemulsion of the composite material at a temperature higher than the melting temperature of at least one of the materials forming the composite and in the presence of one or more aqueous surfactants as surface active substances and then cooling the microemulsion to form a dispersion of solid particles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,976 discloses a heated aqueous emulsification and cooling process for the preparation of solid lipid particles. In that process a solid lipid or bioactive agent or a mixture of solid lipids or bioactive agents is melted and stabilizers, i.e., surface active substances, are added either to the lipid or bioactive agent and to the aqueous phase or to the aqueous phase only. The aqueous phase is heated to the temperature of the melt before mixing and may contain stabilizers, isotonicity agents, buffering substances, cryoprotectants and/or preservatives. The molten lipid compounds and the bioactive agents can be emulsified in the aqueous phase by high-pressure homogenization. The homogenized dispersion is then allowed to cool until solid particles are formed by recrystallization of the dispersed agents. Drugs or other bioactive substances to be incorporated into the particles may be melted together with the lipids or may be dissolved, solubilized or dispersed in the lipid melt before an emulsification by homogenization step.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,922,355 discloses a method for preparing submicron size microparticles by particle size reduction methods in which a solid material is reduced in size over a period of time while continuously below the melting point of the material or by precipitation while the particles are stabilized with phospholipids as surface active substances in combination with other surface modifiers to control growth of particle size and enhance storage stability. The use of one or more surface modifiers in addition to a phospholipid provides volume weighted mean particle size values that are much smaller than what can be achieved using phospholipid alone without the use of an additional surface active substance (surfactant) with the same energy input while providing compositions resistant to particle size growth on storage. The phospholipid and the surfactant are both present at the time of particle size reduction.
WO 00/30616 discloses a rapidly dispersing solid dry dosage form comprised of a water insoluble compound existing as a nanometer or micrometer particulate solid which is surface stabilized by the presence of at least one phospholipid, the particulate solid being dispersed throughout a bulking matrix. When the dosage form is introduced into an aqueous environment, the bulking matrix is substantially completely dissolved within less than 2 minutes thereby releasing the water insoluble particulate solid in an unaggregated and/or unagglomerated state. The matrix is composed of a water insoluble substance or therapeutically useful water insoluble or poorly water soluble compound, a phospholipid and optionally also at least one non-ionic, anionic, cationic, or amphiphatic surfactant, together with a matrix or bulking agent and if needed a release agent. The volume weighted mean particle size of the water insoluble particle is 5 micrometers or less.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,581 discloses a method of coating substrates such as pharmaceutical tablets, food and confectionery forms, agricultural seeds and the like, with a protective film comprises the steps of mixing a cellulosic polymer, maltodextrin, and a plasticizer into water to form an aqueous coating suspension, spraying an effective amount of the coating suspension onto the substrates to form a film coating on the substrates, and drying the film coating on the substrates. Optionally, a detackifier, a secondary film former, a flow aid, and/or a colorant may be dispersed into the coating suspension before applying the coating suspension to the substrates. A dry powder edible film coating composition for use in pharmaceuticals, food and confectionery forms, agricultural seeds, and the like, comprises a dry mixture of a cellulosic polymer, maltodextrin, and a plasticizer. Optionally, the dry coating composition may include a detackifier, a secondary film former, a flow aid, and/or a colorant.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,840 discloses a method of marking forms such as pharmaceutical tablets, capsules, confectionery and food with a water based ingestible ink comprising mixing pigments, a polymer, and optionally a plasticizer into water to form an ink dispersion, and printing the ink dispersion onto the forms to form a trademark, logo, or the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,981,984 discloses a pigment suspension for a film coating for tablets and the like comprising a solvent, pigment particles dispersed in the solvent, and a low molecular weight alcohol soluble polymer which acts as a protective colloid coating the pigment particles and providing for a higher concentration of pigment particles in the pigment suspension. The method of making the pigment suspension comprises the steps of pouring a solvent into a container, stirring the pigment particles into the solvent to disperse the pigment particles evenly, stirring a protective colloid into the liquid in the container and dispersing it therethrough to make the liquid less viscous and more adaptable for accepting additional pigment particles, and stirring additional pigment particles into the container liquid to obtain the desired pigment suspension. A coating suspension for tablets and the like comprising the pigment suspension dispersed in a polymer solution. The method of making the coating suspension includes dispersing a powdered polymer in a first liquid solvent, stirring a second solvent into the liquid until all of the polymer is in solution, and stirring the pigment suspension into the polymer solution. A coated tablet and the like having as the coating material in a thin film comprising a polymer having pigment particles dispersed therethrough, and a protective colloid coating the pigment particles.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,475,919 discloses a pharmaceutical tablet which consists of a substrate containing a medicament and may be covered with a coating, the coating including a pigment comprising a natural water insoluble edible powder dyed with an edible natural dye. The pigment for coloring the tablet, or other pharmaceutical products, as well as food and cosmetics, is made by suspending a natural water insoluble edible powdered substrate in an aqueous vehicle and dyeing the suspended powdered substrate with an edible natural dye. The liquid is removed to obtain the dry pigment powder of the invention which then can be suspended in a suspending medium and used for coating products to be colored such as food, drug and cosmetic products.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,256 and 4,543,370 disclose a dry powder edible film coating composition for use in pharmaceuticals, confectionery and food, comprising a dry mixture including powdered particles of a film forming non-toxic polymer, powdered edible pigment particles, and an edible polymer plasticizer, the dry mixture being solvent free. A method of making a dry powder edible film coating composition of powdered pigment particles for use in pharmaceuticals, confectionery and food, comprising the steps of mixing a powder of a film forming polymer and powdered pigment particles in a blender to form a polymer-pigment mix, and adding the plasticizer to the blender containing the polymer-pigment mix and mixing until the combined mix is blended to form the dry powder edible film coating composition.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,924 discloses a method of providing a film coating on pharmaceutical tablets, foods, confectionery forms and the like by coating them with polydextrose, or a combination of polydextrose and cellulosic polymer, or a layer of polydextrose overcoated by a layer of cellulosic polymer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,704,295 discloses a non-toxic edible enteric film coating dry powder and aqueous enteric coating suspension for coating pharmaceutical tablets and the like; the enteric coated tablets; and methods of making the enteric coating dry powder, the aqueous coating suspension, and of coating the tablets.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,828,841 and 4,643,894 disclose a pharmaceutical, confectionery or food tablet coated on all its exterior surfaces with maltodextrin, which masks the characteristic taste of the tablet ingredients and does not have a slimy taste, with the coating composition comprising maltodextrin, an effective amount of a plasticizer to make the maltodextrin non-brittle and non-cracking when coated onto a tablet, an effective amount of a detackifier for making the maltodextrin and plasticizer non-tacky, a secondary film former to impart gloss and strength to the maltodextrin film coating, and a colorant for imparting color. A method of making tablets coated with maltodextrin.
In one aspect while it is advantageous in very many cases to use particulate pharmaceutical formulations wherein particle sizes are stabilized by combinations of phospholipids and surface modifiers according to U.S. Pat. No. 5,922,355, it is sometimes desirable to produce pharmaceutical formulations or pre-formulations which are stabilized by biocompatible phospholipids without the use of additional surface active substances. This can be desirable, for example, when there is a subsequent need to modify the composition of a particle-containing formulation in a step following the formation of the particles such as by the addition of one or more additional ingredients that are not compatible with additional surface modifiers shown to be beneficial in U.S. Pat. No. 5,922,355, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. In one aspect it is therefore desirable to produce drug particles stabilized by one or more phospholipids in the absence of additional surface modifiers but which exhibit enhanced stability toward particle growth and which maintain sub-micron and micron size particles on subsequent storage as suspension or solid dosage form.
In another aspect, particle size reduction methods such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,922,355 in which particles of a material are reduced in size in the presence of phospholipid and another surface active substance while the material is maintained in the solid phase require processing for a certain length of time to achieve a desired particle size. The time is directly related to the number of homogenization volume passes or turnovers performed on a volume of a suspension of particles in a size reduction process. It is desirable to further reduce that length of time by providing an improved process that can decrease the overall number of turnovers to achieve a desired particle size.
While these disclosures provide compositions and methods to enhance the bioavailabilty of fibrates such as fenofibrate from various dosage forms, none sufficiently address the need to substantially reduce or eliminate the difference between the amount of the drug taken up in patients who are fasting versus the otherwise enhanced uptake of the drug in patients who are fed or take food with or proximal to the taking of a dosage form of a fibrate. D. Fleischer, Cheng Li, Yuji Zhou, Li-Heng Pao and Aziz Karim in “Drug, Meal and Formulation Interactions Influencing Drug Absorption After Oral Administration,” Clin. Pharmacokinet. (1999), March:36 (3), 233-264 review information regarding oral drug/meal interaction effects on GI drug absorption.
It is thus an object of this invention to provide to a mammal such as a human patient a method of treatment of dislipidemia and dislipoproteinemia and related disorders in the patient comprising administration of an oral pharmaceutical dosage form of a fibrate such as fenofibrate that substantially reduces or substantially eliminates the difference in the amount of the drug or active fibrate species taken up in the patient when in a fasting state versus the amount taken up using the same dosage level in the same patient when in a fed state.
It is another object of this invention to provide a composition of a pharmaceutical dosage form of a fibrate such as fenofibrate that substantially reduces the difference between the amount of the drug taken up in a patient who is fasting versus the amount of the drug take up in the same patient who is fed.
It is another object of this invention to provide a pharmaceutical dosage form of a fibrate such as fenofibrate in a capsule or a tablet form that can be administered to provide substantial reduction or elimination of an effect of food on the uptake of the fibrate into the patient, ie, substantial reduction or elimination of the food effect.
It is another object of this invention to provide a once-a-day pharmaceutically effective dosage form of a fibrate such as fenofibrate that can be administered to a patient in need of treatment by the drug.